Steve's Financial Help
Donation protected
My family and I need your help. My Dad, Steve Hinkle, is approaching his final days. He’s had a long exhausting journey with his body and his health.
A little about my dad:
Steve started his career with the USFS when he was in high school at the Kelsey Creek Ranger Station in June 1974. He started his permanent career on the Stanislaus National Forest in 1990. He worked on the Klamath National Forest as well as the Six Rivers National Forest, and spent some time as a hot shot in Redmond, Oregon. He loved his job. He was selfless in his efforts to teach others about fire fighting. He fought fire in Hawaii, Florida, and everywhere in between.
Here’s a brief timeline of his health:
Steve was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2002. At this time he was an Engine Captain with the US Forest Service. He would continue his career with the USFS until his retirement in 2012.
He had his large intestine removed in December of 2009 to avoid Colon Cancer. In June 2011 his body was overtaken and had become septic. He had an emergency surgery to save his life, the cause of the infection being missed stitches when his large intestine was removed.
In 2014 he was informed that he was misdiagnosed in 2002. In addition to having Ulcerative Colitis, Steve also had Crohn’s Disease.
On August 22, 2019 Steve was admitted to Asante in Ashland with an extreme Crohn’s flare. He spent 41 days in Ashland.
On September 30, 2019 he was airlifted to OHSU in Portland Oregon. Steve has been at OHSU for 14 days and counting.
The specialists here at OHSU have found while in the hospital in Ashland, he was on high doses of steroids which created an extreme drop in his immune system. In his sensitive state his lungs became infected with the fungus Aspergillus and the specialists believe his brain is the host to the Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy virus (PML virus).
My mom and dad live in Fort Jones California, an eight hour drive from Portland. We’ve been told he would most likely not make the trip home.
Steve will not have the ability to see friends or family again.
Steve has some health insurance, but the cost of the care he’s received and air transport is mounting. It’s more than my dad and mom could possibly afford on their own.
We set up this go fund me to assure my dad before passing that my mom wouldn’t have to bare the burden of this hardship alone.
Please support our family in our time of need, and help us to raise funds to lessen the blow of my dad’s medical bills.
A little about my dad:
Steve started his career with the USFS when he was in high school at the Kelsey Creek Ranger Station in June 1974. He started his permanent career on the Stanislaus National Forest in 1990. He worked on the Klamath National Forest as well as the Six Rivers National Forest, and spent some time as a hot shot in Redmond, Oregon. He loved his job. He was selfless in his efforts to teach others about fire fighting. He fought fire in Hawaii, Florida, and everywhere in between.
Here’s a brief timeline of his health:
Steve was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2002. At this time he was an Engine Captain with the US Forest Service. He would continue his career with the USFS until his retirement in 2012.
He had his large intestine removed in December of 2009 to avoid Colon Cancer. In June 2011 his body was overtaken and had become septic. He had an emergency surgery to save his life, the cause of the infection being missed stitches when his large intestine was removed.
In 2014 he was informed that he was misdiagnosed in 2002. In addition to having Ulcerative Colitis, Steve also had Crohn’s Disease.
On August 22, 2019 Steve was admitted to Asante in Ashland with an extreme Crohn’s flare. He spent 41 days in Ashland.
On September 30, 2019 he was airlifted to OHSU in Portland Oregon. Steve has been at OHSU for 14 days and counting.
The specialists here at OHSU have found while in the hospital in Ashland, he was on high doses of steroids which created an extreme drop in his immune system. In his sensitive state his lungs became infected with the fungus Aspergillus and the specialists believe his brain is the host to the Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy virus (PML virus).
My mom and dad live in Fort Jones California, an eight hour drive from Portland. We’ve been told he would most likely not make the trip home.
Steve will not have the ability to see friends or family again.
Steve has some health insurance, but the cost of the care he’s received and air transport is mounting. It’s more than my dad and mom could possibly afford on their own.
We set up this go fund me to assure my dad before passing that my mom wouldn’t have to bare the burden of this hardship alone.
Please support our family in our time of need, and help us to raise funds to lessen the blow of my dad’s medical bills.
Organizer and beneficiary
Harley Hinkle
Organizer
Fort Jones, CA
Sandy Hinkle
Beneficiary